WNBA star Brittney Griner testifies during a drug investigation in Russia that an interpreter gave an incomplete translation during her interrogation. OLASMEDIA TV NEWSThis is what we have for you today:
American basketball star Brittney Griner testified on Wednesday during her drug trial in Russia that she “takes responsibility” for accidentally bringing cannabis-infused vape cartridges into Russia, but that she had no intention of breaking the law. Griner also testified that a language interpreter provided during her interrogation translated only a fraction of what was said and officials instructed her to sign documents without providing explanations.
The substance “went into my bags by accident… and I take responsibility, but I didn’t intend to smuggle or plan to smuggle [banned substances] to Russia,” Griner, who was arrested at a Moscow airport in February, said during cross-examination.
WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives at a hearing at the Khimki court, outside Moscow, on July 27, 2022.
KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images
During her testimony, the standout Phoenix described Mercury taking a grueling 13-hour flight to Moscow from Arizona while recovering from COVID-19. Griner said she remembers how the cannabis oil, for which she had a doctor’s advice, ended up in her bag, but explained that she had hurriedly packed under great stress.
She recalled how her luggage was checked upon her arrival in Moscow on February 17 and set aside after inspectors found the cartridges.
Along with the interpreter who allegedly provided an incomplete translation, Griner said she was not offered an explanation of her rights or access to lawyers and was told to sign documents without being given an explanation of what they contained.
“No, my rights have not been explained to me. Nobody explained anything to me,” Griner said. “There was a woman there who said she is a translator, but she only translated words like ‘name, signature’.”
After hours of proceedings that she did not understand, she was allowed to hand over her personal belongings to a lawyer before being taken away in handcuffs, Griner said. She said she received only a cursory translation of the charges at a hearing on Feb. 19, where a court upheld her arrest.
Griner faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of drug trafficking. Her trial began on July 1, and the five previous court hearings so far have been brief, some lasting only about an hour.
The next hearing in Griner’s trial is expected on August 2. It’s unclear how long the trial will last, but a court has cleared Griner’s detention until December 20. She went to Russia to play for a Russian team in the off season of the WNBA.
WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner holds photos as she stands in a defendant’s cage for a hearing at the Khimki court, outside Moscow on July 27, 2022.
ALEXANDER ZEMLIANCHENKO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
During Tuesday’s court hearing of approximately 90 minutes, a Russian neuropsychologist testified about the worldwide use of medicinal cannabis, which is still illegal in Russia. Griner’s defense team has submitted a letter from an American doctor recommending the basketball player use medicinal cannabis to treat pain.
Griner testified on Wednesday that she was experiencing pain from injuries sustained during her basketball career. She emphasized that cannabis oil is widely used in the United States for medicinal purposes and has fewer negative effects than some other pain relievers.
A spokesman for Russia’s foreign ministry said last week that legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational use in parts of the US will not affect what happens in Russia.
The slow trial and Griner’s five-month detention have sparked strong criticism from teammates and supporters in the United States, who have formally stated she was “unjustly detained,” a designation that was sharply rejected by Russian officials.
In a handwritten letter from Griner delivered to the White House earlier this month, the WNBA player wrote of how terrified she is of being locked up in Russia “forever”.
Griner’s wife Cherelle told “CBS Mornings” that when she read the letter, she could feel the fear Griner was experiencing.
“She’s probably the strongest person I know, so she doesn’t say such words lightly. That means she’s really terrified that she might never see us again. You know, I share those same feelings,” Cherelle said.
Griner was arrested in February amid high tensions between the US and Moscow, before Russia would send troops to Ukraine later that month. Some supporters claim she is being held in Russia as a pawn, possibly for a prisoner swap. American football player Megan Rapinoe said last week: “Of course she is being held as a political prisoner.”
Russian media has speculated that Griner could be traded for prominent Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is imprisoned in the United States, and that Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia for espionage, could also play a part in a swap.
US officials have not commented on the prospects for such a trade. Russian officials have said no exchange can be discussed until legal proceedings against Griner are completed.